


i miss the hours in the morning (and you in the morning hours)

by andtimestoodstill



Series: i swear to god the devil made me do it [3]
Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: A more reasonable 7k self-indulgent words, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe- No Supernatural, Gratuitous use of italics, Gratuitous use of parentheses, M/M, POV Ronan Lynch, Ronan Lynch Loves Adam Parrish, adam parrish is tan from queer eye and you can't change my mind, but I wrote it anyway, no one asked for this, ronan lynch is the little spoon, the author is selfish and has way too much time on her hands
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2019-08-15
Packaged: 2020-09-01 17:24:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20261785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andtimestoodstill/pseuds/andtimestoodstill
Summary: As graduation approached, Ronan’s ambitious, driven, and persistent boyfriend was trying to burn the candle at both ends. Adam was trying to stay on top of his school work, maintain his hours at the library, apply for post-graduate jobs, and be a good boyfriend. Ronan was actively trying to convince Adam to cut down on one of those commitments.His job at the library, obviously. Ronan didn’t want Adam to cut down on his commitment to being a good boyfriend. Ronan wanted the best for Adam, but he wasn’t selfless.(In which Ronan wants to hang out with his boyfriend, but Adam keeps falling asleep)





	i miss the hours in the morning (and you in the morning hours)

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from [here.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVs-veVcOTM)

Adam Parrish was going to be the death of Ronan Lynch, that much Ronan was sure of.

As graduation approached, Ronan’s ambitious, driven, and persistent boyfriend was trying to burn the candle at both ends. Adam was trying to stay on top of his school work, maintain his hours at the library, apply for post-graduate jobs, and be a good boyfriend. Ronan was actively trying to convince Adam to cut down on one of those commitments.

(His job at the library, obviously. Ronan didn’t want Adam to cut down on his commitment to being a good boyfriend. Ronan wanted the best for Adam, but he wasn’t _selfless_)

Of course, Ronan didn’t say this outright, knowing how Adam would react to Ronan trying to micromanage his life. Not that Ronan was trying to micromanage Adam’s life, he was just _worried_.

But worry was a little too close to pity in Adam Parrish’s eyes, so Ronan had to be sneaky. Rather than saying _I think you should cut down your hours at the library_, Ronan said, “you should call out sick today,” against the freckled skin of Adam’s bare chest as they laid tangled up in the sheets of Adam’s bed.

Adam let out a breathy little sigh above him, his fingers mapping out the lines of Ronan’s tattoo at the small of his back from memory. “Yeah? And do what?”

“Anything,” Ronan licked at a particularly enticing mole. “This. Take a nap. Go to Bravo’s. This,” he said, biting at the mole for emphasis.

“Ah,” Adam sucked in a breath, one hand coming to stroke at the hair at Ronan’s neck. Ronan had shaved it last night, and Adam liked the feel of it after a fresh cut. “While that does sound enticing, I’m not gonna do that.”

“Why?” Ronan feigned ignorance, pressing kisses lower and lower.

“I need the hours,” Adam sounded a little breathless.

“Aren’t you over what you need for your scholarship anyway?”

Adam only had to work twenty hours a week for his work study requirement, Ronan couldn’t figure out why Adam chose to work close to thirty. “Ro,” he said, pushing at Ronan’s shoulder. “C’mon, stop.”

Ronan immediately pulled away at that, pushing up on his arms so that his body was hovering over Adam’s. “What’s wrong?”

Adam was trying to look annoyed, but he couldn’t help the flush of his cheeks or the redness of his lips. “What are you doing?”

“Uh,” Ronan played dumb. “Kissing you?”

“No,” Adam wiggled out from under Ronan, moving to lean back against his pillows, bringing their faces level. Ronan moved his weight back onto his legs, settling himself on Adam’s thighs. “You’re trying to distract me by kissing me, what’s your ulterior motive?”

Ronan sighed, so his plan wasn’t fool proof after all. And because Ronan Lynch never lied, he said, “I’m just worried that you’re running yourself into the ground. I think you need a break.”

Adam didn’t get immediately closed off or angry, which was a good sign. “I’m fine, Ronan. I’ve survi—”

“I don’t care if you’ve survived worse,” Ronan cut him off. “You don’t have to kill yourself over this stupid job.”

“I don’t want to _just get by_. I like having a little bit of extra money so I can eat at Bravo’s, or to go out for drinks, or to bring you coffee—”

“I’ll give up coffee.”

Adam laughed, a little resigned. “It’s not just that. I work the extra hours so I can pay for my MetroCard, and buy groceries, and new underwear since half my clothes live at your place now,” Ronan blushed, and Adam leaned forward to kiss at his cheek where the flush was the darkest. “And it’s a good job, cushy even. I can study and do homework, and it’s nowhere near as exhausting as my jobs in high school were.”

Ronan leaned forward, tucking his forehead into the space between Adam’s chin and his shoulder. He wanted to offer up a million solutions that he knew Adam would never accept. _Let me pay for all our dates. Let me pay for your MetroCard and buy your groceries. Let me move in and cover your half of the rent_.

So maybe that last one was a little soon, even by Ronan’s standards. He could feel the burning of a blush across the back of his neck, thankfully Adam didn’t comment on it. “I just don’t want you to burn out.”

Adam ran a hand up and down Ronan’s spine, the touch bringing goosebumps up to the surface. “I’ll be fine, Ro. I’ve been doing this for three and a half years. Longer, if you count high school.”

Ronan didn’t say what he was thinking, that Adam had made a _new_ commitment to Ronan, and Ronan wasn’t sure that if push came to shove, and Adam had to let go of something, it would be _him_.

So instead, he put on a brave face. Sitting up he said, “fine, but don’t come bitching to me when your plan to burn the candle at both ends bites you in the ass.”

Adam smiled fondly at Ronan, taking his words for what they really meant: _Take care of yourself_. “Well, I don’t have to leave for another,” he glanced at the watch on his left wrist. “Hour and a half. We can do anything you want.”

“Anything?”

“Anything.”

Ronan paused. While his brain could supply an endless list of things he wanted to do to Adam Parrish (or have Adam Parrish do to him), he took the advantage of the opportunity to trick Adam into relaxing.

Rolling off of Adam’s lap and snuggling up to his side Ronan said, “can we watch _the X-Files_?”

Adam snorted, but rolled off the bed to grab his laptop anyway. “Sure,” he settled back on the narrow bed next to Ronan, pulling up the show on Hulu (logged into Ronan’s account. Well, technically it was Gansey’s account, but Ronan knew the password), and pressed play.

Much to Ronan’s delight, Adam fell asleep almost immediately. Ronan moved the laptop off of Adam’s lap, turning down the sound enough that if there was a particularly loud moment, it wouldn’t wake him up. He kept an eye on the time, shaking Adam awake with enough time for him to get ready for work.

Ronan sent Adam off with a searing kiss at the door, the former still just in his underwear and the latter looking at least a little better rested than an hour and a half ago. Adam didn’t seem to realize Ronan’s nefarious plans, saying, “sorry I fell asleep, we can watch more tonight.”

“Shut up, Parrish.” He kissed him again. “Get out of here. Bring home the bacon, or whatever the fuck.”

Adam’s face scrunched up adorably, “you’re not my lonely, bored housewife, Ronan.”

Ronan could feel himself blush. “Whatever, I’ll be your sugar baby if that’s what you’re looking for.”

Now, Adam blushed, but he rolled his eyes exasperatedly. “You would make a terrible sugar baby.” With one last kiss he said, “okay, I really have to go.”

Ronan leaned against the open doorjamb. “Bye, Parrish.”

Adam looked like he was dragging himself away. “Bye, Lynch.” Ronan watched him walk away when Adam called over his shoulder, “lock the door behind me!” As soon as Adam was out of sight, Ronan closed and locked the door.

***

The next week, Adam was somehow even more exhausted. Ronan was almost impressed by the seemingly endless depth of Adam’s well; just when Ronan thought that Adam had run dry, his boyfriend would surprise him with another pail of water.

Nonetheless, Ronan was just as worried about Adam today as he was a week ago. Adam could only reliably set aside about 24 hours to be with Ronan a week (not that Ronan didn’t see Adam more than that, Ronan capitalized on every free moment Adam would give him). From the second Adam was out of class on Thursday afternoons (2:35 PM) until whatever shift or study session he planned for Friday evening, Adam and Ronan spent together.

Ronan usually insisted that they spend this limited time alone. And not just going out on dates alone, but staying in, curling up on the couch or burying themselves in the sheets of one of their beds _alone_.

It wasn’t just about the money, Ronan let Adam pay for their take out if he insisted, but Ronan wanted to give Adam a break. If he could play off a forced respite from Adam’s various commitments as a date, Ronan could sleep well at night.

(Well, that wasn’t really true, but Ronan’s insomnia predated Adam Parrish anyway)

Adam had agreed to spend the night at Monmouth with Ronan, picking up groceries for dinner on the way to Bed-Stuy. Ronan was sprawled out on the couch watching Vine compilations on his phone (_Hey, Parrish,_ _fuck your chicken strips. I’m eating lasagna, Ronan_) when Adam arrived, opening the front door, and dropping his things in the front hall before joining Ronan in the living room.

“Hey,” Ronan said, not looking away from his phone. Adam didn’t respond, instead, he crawled under Ronan’s outstretched arm and laid his body along Ronan’s. “Oof,” Ronan’s breath was forced out of his chest as Adam’s entire body weight was balanced on top of him.

“Sorry,” Adam mumbled into Ronan’s shirt.

“Don’t worry about it,” Ronan helped to adjust Adam’s body, so they were curled against each other on the couch. “Hi.”

“Hi,” Adam’s eyes were closed, brown lashes fanned out across his cheeks.

“How was your day?”

“Long,” Adam nestled in closer to Ronan’s body. Ronan tightened his arm around Adam’s middle. “I’ll put the groceries away, just give me a minute.”

Ronan scoffed. “I’ll do it.” Ronan moved to get up but was stopped by Adam’s fingers tightening in his shirt.

“No, stay.”

Well, Ronan couldn’t argue with that logic.

As promised, just a few minutes later Adam rolled off the couch and went to put away the groceries. Ronan followed him, loading the perishable items into the fridge while Adam organized the dry ingredients on the counter. Ronan crowded Adam against the counter, wrapping his arms around his waist, dropping a kiss at the juncture of his shoulder and neck.

“Did your meeting with your professor go okay?”

Adam nodded, breathing out a sign at the feel of Ronan’s lips on his skin. “Yeah, she said she would be a reference for me.” Adam tipped his head back to lean on Ronan’s shoulder.

“That makes three references, yeah?”

“Mhm, I can start submitting applications now.”

_Thank god_, Ronan thought. That was one less thing Adam could devote his very limited time to. “Nice, those fucking nerds are gonna be fighting over the opportunity to just _interview_ you.”

Ronan couldn’t see Adam’s face, but he could practically _hear_ him roll his eyes. “Whatever. I’m still sending out applications to every firm in the city.”

“You’ll get a job, Parrish.”

Adam shook Ronan off, walking back to the living room. Ronan took a deep breath, trying to quell the anger rising in him, before following. Adam was on the couch, feet tucked up on the cushion, picking at an abused cuticle. When Ronan sat next to him, Adam said, “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Adam still hadn’t looked up, but Ronan kept his features schooled into a look of calm. “Sure. But why not?” Over the last few weeks as Adam’s boyfriend (okay, technically months, but that wasn’t important right now), Ronan learned that validating Adam’s feelings was an appallingly easy way to keep Adam’s temper at bay. Ronan didn’t always understand Adam’s reasons, but he did have to accept them.

Adam finally looked up, shoulders slouching in relief. Like Ronan had given him a _gift_ by not picking a fight. “I just don’t want to think about it. Not when I’m here. When it’s finally just you and me. And,” Adam glanced away for just a moment, eyes swinging back to Ronan’s, full of intensity. “Every time you say I’m gonna get it, I think about all the reasons why they would reject me.”

“Parrish—”

“I know it’s stupid, and I shouldn’t diminish my own worth or whatever. But sometimes all I can focus on is the reasons they would say no than the reasons why they should say yes.”

Ronan raked a hand over the top of his head, letting the bristle against his palm keep him grounded. “Fine. But I want you to know that I believe in you. And if you need someone to gas you up, or whatever other stupid shit that Noah says, I’m here. I want to be that person for you, Adam.”

Adam smiled; exhaustion evident in the expression. “Thank you, Ro.”

He looked soft and sleepy, and Ronan wanted to wrap him up in his arms and not move for eight hours. Ronan did the next best thing, pulling Adam towards him so that they were laid out on the couch, Adam tucked against the backrest, body half on top of Ronan’s. Ronan turned on the TV, putting on an old episode of _Queer Eye_.

“You’re such an Antoni,” Adam yawned as the man in question dug through the nominee’s fridge with a look of thinly veiled disapproval across his features.

“If I’m Antoni, you’re Tan.”

Adam chuckled, Ronan felt, more than heard, the sound. “Yeah, that’s probably true.”

Ronan stroked at Adam’s back, fingers tracing over the soft material of his t-shirt. After a few minutes, Adam was asleep, warm breath fanning over Ronan’s chest and neck. They stayed like that for a few episodes, Adam sleeping through it all.

Rather than wake his dozing boyfriend, Ronan decided he would make dinner alone. Slipping out from under Adam’s form was easier said than done, Adam waking up as soon as Ronan was off the couch completely.

“Ro?”

(Adam, mostly asleep and saying his name like that, made Ronan want to _combust_)

“Sorry,” Ronan kneeled next to the couch.

Adam reached out to tug on the collar of Ronan’s shirt. “Come back ‘ere.” Adam’s accent was thick and unabashed.

Ronan took Adam’s hand, pulling it away from his shirt and up to his lips. He pressed a kiss to Adam’s freckled knuckles. “I’ll be right back.” Adam smiled, eyes fluttering closed. Ronan stood and stepped away from the couch. It seemed like Adam had fallen right back asleep, breathing evening out as soon as Ronan moved away.

They had decided on spaghetti for dinner, cheap, easy, and delicious. Ronan started on the sauce, the apartment filling with the smell of garlic and tomato sauce comfortingly. While the sauce simmered away, Ronan put the frozen garlic bread in the oven and boiled water for the pasta. Dinner was ready inside of forty-five minutes, and Ronan plated up two servings and taking them into the living room with him.

Ronan placed the food on the coffee table before sitting on the edge of the couch. “Parrish,” he said, brushing a dark blonde stand away from his freckled face. “Wake up.”

“Hm?” Adam blinked up at him, blue eyes soft around the edges.

“Dinner’s ready.”

Adam’s dusty eyebrows knit together. “What?”

Ronan moved enough so Adam could see the plates on the table. “Dinner is ready, c’mon.” He poked at Adam’s bicep. “Get up.”

Adam sat up, carding a hand through his mussed hair. “You made dinner?”

“Yeah,” Ronan moved over on the couch to make room for Adam at the table. “You said I was an Antoni.” He shrugged. Adam was staring at the spaghetti and garlic bread dumbly, shaking his head in disbelief. “What is it, Parrish?”

His boyfriend said nothing, leaning over and pressing a closed mouth, but still searing, kiss to Ronan’s lips. Adam pulled back after a few seconds. “Thank you.”

“Anytime, Parrish.” Adam smiled and kissed him again. Ronan pulled away reluctantly. “C’mon, the food’s getting cold.”

They both ate two servings of spaghetti, and there was still enough left over that Adam claimed as his lunch for tomorrow. Full, in both body and soul, they retired to Ronan’s bedroom. It was obvious that Adam was still exhausted, and Ronan opted to make out languidly rather than let either of them get too worked up before Adam succumbed to sleep.

Ronan studied Adam’s sleeping figure in the ambient lighting of the city filtering through his window. He looked so at peace, features relaxed, breathing coming easy for once.

Ronan wanted the world for Adam Parrish, if only he would take it. 

***

Ronan had thought that once Adam started sending out applications for post-grad jobs, that his boyfriend would have more time to be a human. Apparently, Ronan had forgotten that once the applications were sent out, that Adam would have to start _interviewing_ for the positions.

Adam had four interviews this week _alone_, and by Thursday, Adam was more exhausted than usual. Ronan had surprised his boyfriend in Midtown after his second interview of the day, coffee in hand.

“You are the best boyfriend in the world,” Adam said, after kissing Ronan soundly. He took the coffee from Ronan’s hand, looked as if he was about to take a sip but then decided he wanted to kiss Ronan again.

“Tell me something I don’t fucking know, Parrish.” Despite the sharp edge of his words, Ronan held out a hand for Adam to take.

“Where are we going?” he asked, lacing his fingers with Ronan’s. Ronan headed west, Adam matching him stride for stride.

“Dinner. And then the gang wants to meet up for drinks to celebrate.” Gansey had just received his acceptance into Princeton’s History graduate program. No one was surprised, of course, but everyone was in a celebratory mood, nonetheless.

Adam drained the last of his coffee (how the fuck had he finished it so quickly?) and tossed it in a nearby trash can. “What’s for dinner?”

“How does ramen sound?” They were stopped at a corner, waiting for the opportunity to cross.

Adam smiled, the caffeine perking him up already. “Sounds perfect.” He kissed Ronan again. “C’mon,” Adam tugged him by the arm, crossing the street.

Their dinner was delicious, and Adam described, in detail, the events of his interviews. He thought that both went well, but they weren’t his first choice in engineering firms.

“Is it because they’re in Manhattan?” Ronan asked.

Adam rolled his eyes. “I don’t have the same aversion to the island of Manhattan that you do,” Adam traced a finger across the lip of his glass of water. “No, I just don’t want to design machines that will replace human jobs with factory automation. I want to design stuff that will make people’s lives easier. Make their lives _better_.”

Ronan was sure that he was giving Adam fucking heart eyes, but _god_, he was so in love.

_Shit_.

Ronan knew that his feelings for Adam were intense, greater than any other kind of affection he’d ever felt for someone, but he had never allowed the thought _I am _in _love with Adam Parrish_ to enter his brain. In Ronan’s defense, he hadn’t realized that he was dating Adam Parrish for close to three months, so he had a lot of practice in repressing his feelings for Adam Parrish.

But it was undoubtedly true. Ronan Lynch was in love with Adam Parrish.

Of course, Ronan wasn’t going to say that out loud. Not right now. Not while he an Adam were in some hole in the wall ramen place in fucking _Manhattan_. No, Ronan was going to keep his fucking mouth shut.

They paid for dinner (_you can pay the fucking tip, Parrish. Fine, but I’m buying your drinks_) and walked the four blocks to a quiet little gin bar in Hell’s Kitchen that Gansey had decided on. Their friends were chattering at a round table at the back of the room. Adam and Ronan ordered at the bar (_god I fucking hate gin, it’s so pretentious. I mean, so is Gansey_) before joining them.

“Congrats, Dick,” Ronan said sidling up to his best friend and smacking a loud and joking kiss on his cheek.

Gansey, who was already a few Singapore Slings into the evening, blushed furiously. Ronan chuckled and slipped into one of the two empty chairs. Adam gave Gansey a much more subdued _congratulations, Gansey_ and a fist bump before settling at Ronan’s side.

Ronan sipped at his drink (an oddly savory gimlet with cucumber that Ronan may have chosen at random rather than asking the bartender at a _gin bar_ for their opinion) and made a face. Adam rolled his eyes and said, “have you figured out the commute yet?”

“No,” Gansey ruffled his hair. “I want to stay at Monmouth as much as possible, but it really depends on my class schedule. No matter what, I’ll need a car to get back and forth, but I might also rent out an apartment off campus to stay in when I don’t want to make the drive back.”

Blue, dressed in what Ronan could only describe as a shirt that had been forced through a paper shredder and then hastily stitched back together said, “you better get a hybrid if you’re doing all that driving back and forth.” There was an edge to her tone, and Ronan eyed her across the table.

It was obvious that Blue was conflicted about Gansey’s impending graduate program. Of course she was happy for her boyfriend, she loved him and wanted the best for him, but at the same time she wanted to be selfish. To keep things the way they were. Ronan could relate, Adam’s future was uncertain, but if he accepted a job outside of the city, Ronan wouldn’t hesitate to join him. Blue, on the other hand, had been offered a position with an environmentalist group in Queens. If Gansey did something stupid, like perhaps move to New Jersey, Blue wasn’t going to follow him. 

Ronan kicked at Blue’s foot under the table, but she took the gesture for the act of reassurance that it was.

“Jane’s right, as much as I’d like to bring the Pig up here, the cost of gas and the risk of it breaking down are just too high.”

Blue flashed Gansey a smile, and Ronan watched them for a moment while Noah regaled the group with a story about a disastrous date he went on the night before. Adam was beginning to wilt at Ronan’s side, leaning his head against Ronan’s shoulder while Henry and Noah argued about the current season of _Drag Race_. 

“Hey,” Ronan leaned down so Adam could hear him over the din. “You wanna get out of here?” Adam yawned and nodded abashedly. Ronan looked back up, “alright, losers. Parrish and I have to go.”

They stood up and said their goodbyes, leaving the rest of their friends to drink their shitty gin cocktails while Ronan and Adam took the A line to Brooklyn. It had been a while since they had done this, ditching their friends to ride around on the subway, and Ronan was feeling a little nostalgic. He dug his AirPods out of his pocket and handed the right earbud to Adam.

With a fond smile Adam slipped the earbud in his ear before tipping his head onto Ronan’s shoulder. Ronan selected a playlist he had been working on for Adam and tried to relax into the plastic of the subway seat.

Before their train had even crossed the river, Adam was asleep on Ronan’s shoulder. Ronan couldn’t help his surprise, despite noticing Adam’s unusual exhaustion at the beginning of the night. He let Adam sleep, gently shaking him awake as they approached the High Street station.

Adam did look a little embarrassed that he had fallen asleep, but he was still dead on his feet as the two of them walked the handful of blocks to Adam’s apartment. They went right to bed, Adam stripping down to his underwear and tugging Ronan into the bed next to him.

“Thank you for today,” Adam mumbled into Ronan’s chest.

“For what?” Ronan asked. “Bringing you coffee?”

Adam snorted. “I mean yeah, but more for coming to meet me after the interview. I missed you this week.”

“I missed you too,” Ronan said in a rare moment of sincerity.

“Well, I’m gonna make it up to you once I get a full night of sleep.”

“Oh, is that right?”

“Mhm,” Adam hummed, punctuating his point by sucking the beginnings of a bruise at Ronan’s collarbone.

“Well then get the fuck to sleep, then.”

Adam laughed, pressing one last kiss to Ronan’s lips. “Night.”

“Goodnight, Parrish.”

***

Adam did not, in fact, _make it up_ to Ronan the next day. He had gotten a call from a co-worker (while he was making a mess of Ronan’s neck with bruises) asking Adam to cover his shift at the library. In Adam’s defense, he did seem very apologetic, leaving Ronan at the door with a fervent kiss.

Stepping away from the door, not wanting to watch Adam leave, Ronan caught Blue’s eye as she was standing in the kitchen, yogurt in hand. Blue was trying to school her features into a look of indifference, but Ronan could see the smirk fighting at the corner of her mouth.

“Fuck off, Maggot.”

“I wasn’t doing anything,” she said smugly, bringing the spoon up to her mouth.

“Whatever, I’m leaving.” Ronan turned, heading back to Adam’s room.

“Put on some damn clothes.” Ronan glanced down, remembering that he was just in his boxer briefs, but he couldn’t find it in himself to be embarrassed, too busy being annoyed that Adam had left. “Though, there’s no way you’re going to be able to cover up those hickeys, so maybe you’re better off just going shirtless.”

“Fuck _off_, Maggot,” Ronan growled, slamming Adam’s door behind him.

Ronan was home within the hour, despondent. Maybe he was being a little dramatic, but it _had_ been a while. Both he and Adam had been busy, and every time they were together, Ronan just wanted to let Adam rest. If that meant that Ronan wouldn’t get some, it was _fine_. It was a sacrifice he was willing to make.

(To a point)

It had been two weeks since they’d had sex, and Ronan wanted to climb out of his skin every time Adam touched him. Being interrupted was even more frustrating than all the casual and nonsexual touches Adam gave him, because now Ronan was left with the recent memory of Adam working him up, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Ronan had to wait another week before he saw Adam again, both of them busy with midterms, and Adam especially busy with _more_ job interviews. On the phone, Tuesday night, Adam promised that he wouldn’t work on Friday, so they could spend the entire day together. Ronan was very much looking forward to seeing Adam on Thursday as soon as he was out of class.

Of course, because Ronan couldn’t have nice things, Adam didn’t come over to Monmouth until close to 9:00 PM. He was meeting with a group from his Machine Design class to study for their exam on Monday. Adam arrived at Monmouth, exhausted, starving, and desperate for a hot shower.

After eating a few slices of cold pizza over the kitchen sink and taking a quick shower in Ronan’s bathroom, Adam found Ronan in his room, sprawled out on his back on top of the covers. Adam curled up into Ronan’s side, pressing kisses along Ronan’s neck.

“How was your study group?” Ronan asked, tilting his head farther back to give Adam more room to roam.

Adam paused, removing his insistent mouth from Ronan’s neck. “Do you really want to talk about this right now?”

Ronan, recognizing the fire in Adam’s deep blue eyes as _I’m going to jump your bones_, said, “nope. Definitely not.”

“That’s what I thought,” Adam said, all serious, returning to his work at Ronan’s neck. The hickeys Adam had left last week had faded, and he was methodically replacing them.

While Ronan was quite pleased with being the sole object of Adam’s attention, he didn’t want to be an idle participant. With a sudden burst of energy, Ronan rolled them over, pressing Adam into the mattress.

“_Hey_.” Adam was trying to sound admonishing, but he was a little too breathless to be convincing. “I’m supposed to be taking care of you.”

Ronan smirked down at his beautifully flushed boyfriend. “Right, because those hickeys you’re giving me are for _my_ benefit.”

Adam blushed a little darker, trying to squirm away from Ronan’s heavy gaze. Unfortunately for Adam (or, maybe _fortunately_), Ronan’s thighs were caging in Adam’s hips. “Shut up,” he said at last.

Ronan leaned down, pushing up, and away, Adam’s t-shirt, and kissing down his freckled chest. “Let me take care of you.” Ronan glanced up, Adam was nodding lazily, eyes hooded. With a bite to Adam’s hipbone, Ronan slipped down Adam’s body.

Ronan worked his way up Adam’s body a few minutes later, the memory of Adam’s hitching breaths and muffled moans echoing in his ears. Peppering kisses along tanned skin, Ronan paused to take in Adam’s deep, even breathing. Glancing up, Adam’s eyes were closed, mouth slightly agape.

“Parrish?” Ronan said, voice quiet and a little hoarse. Adam didn’t stir, eyes still closed, breathing still even. It dawned on Ronan then that Adam was _asleep_.

With a sigh Ronan carefully moved off of Adam, sitting on the edge of his bed. Ronan dropped his head into his hands, trying to keep himself from lashing out. He wasn’t _mad_ at Adam, but he was fucking frustrated. After a few careful deep breaths, Ronan was able to subdue the feelings warring inside him enough to stand and step into a pair of mostly clean sweatpants he found balled up on the floor.

Adam may have been out cold, but Ronan wasn’t tired, and he didn’t want to risk waking Adam up, so Ronan slipped out of his bedroom and padded downstairs to the living room. Gansey, Blue, and Noah were gathered there, some superhero movie muted on the TV.

Ronan ignored his friends’ greetings as he faceplanted on to the empty loveseat. He groaned into a throw pillow before sitting up and looking around. “What?” he snapped.

“Why are you down here?” Blue asked. She was curled up into Gansey’s side, looking even more petite than usual. “Don’t you and Adam have some, uh, catching up to do?” Noah, from his place on the floor, snorted. “I see Adam gave you some new hickeys.”

“He fell asleep,” Ronan grumbled, slouching down in the chair.

Gansey, bless him, was the only one who didn’t laugh at Ronan’s misfortune. Ronan’s goodwill toward his best friend dissipated, however, as soon as he opened his mouth to say “oh, Ronan,” so genuinely sympathetic that Ronan wanted to shrivel up and _die_. 

“You’re in my thoughts in this trying time, Ronan,” Noah snickered.

“Shut the fuck up, Czerny.” Ronan scrubbed at his hair. “Whatever. He’s not working tomorrow. I can wait another,” Ronan glanced at the clock on the oven in the kitchen behind him, “twelve hours.”

“You sure about that?” Blue’s smile was sharp. “Because you look like you’re about to lose your shit.”

“_Jane_,” Gansey chided. “Give Ronan a break. He’s obviously struggling right now.”

“Dick, you’re not actually helping.” Gansey had the good sense to at least look a little apologetic. “It’s fine. I’m fine.”

“Sure,” Blue gave Ronan a knowing look. “C’mon, babe,” she tugged on Gansey’s arm. “Someone should be having sex in this house.” She started to lead Gansey upstairs.

Ronan squawked indignantly, throwing a pillow at their retreating figures. Once Blue and Gansey were out of sight, Ronan turned back to Noah. “You wanna watch a movie or something?”

“Uh,” Noah glanced down at his phone. Ronan noticed he was wearing skin-tight jeans and an artfully distressed band tee; those weren’t lying about the house clothes. “I have plans actually.” Noah smiled sheepishly at Ronan. “I can cancel…”

Ronan leaned back on the loveseat and sighed. “Don’t worry about me. Have a good time.”

Noah stood and came up behind the loveseat and wrapped his wiry arms around Ronan’s neck. “Don’t wait up.”

“Am I the only one not getting laid tonight?”

Noah laughed and squeezed Ronan once more before stepping back and grabbing his coat. “That’s what it seems like.” Noah was out the door a minute later, locking it behind him.

Ronan retreated upstairs after turning off the TV and flipping off the lights. He joined Adam in bed, Adam curling around Ronan’s back, one arm slipping around Ronan’s waist. 

“Ro?” Adam mumbled into Ronan’s neck.

“Yeah?” Ronan turned his head enough for Adam to hopefully hear him.

“I’m sorry I fell asleep.”

Ronan laughed humorlessly. “It’s fine, Parrish.”

“No it isn’t. But you’re sweet for pretending that it is.” Adam nuzzled his nose into Ronan’s nape, making the other man shiver. “I would promise to make it up to you, but we both know how that’s turned out so far.”

“Just so you know, we aren’t leaving this fucking bed tomorrow.”

“Not even for food? What if I have to use the bathroom?”

“Too bad, I guess. I was promised sex.”

Adam chuckled, tightening his hold on Ronan’s waist. “I’m sure I can find a way to change your mind.” Adam trailed his clever fingers across Ronan’s stomach, dipping past the waistband of his briefs. Ronan took Adam’s hand in his, twining their fingers together. He brought Adam’s hand up to his mouth, pressing his lips against them.

“Tomorrow,” Ronan said. Adam kissed Ronan’s nape, succumbing to sleep once again.

(Adam did, in fact, make it up to Ronan in the morning. And then three more times before they met the gang for dinner at Bravo’s)

*** 

Adam came to Monmouth, one week later, in tears. Never having seen Adam Parrish cry before, Ronan froze in front of his boyfriend. Ronan wasn’t sure if comfort or feigned ignorance was the right course of action (_oh my god you’ve been staring at him for fifteen seconds, do something_), but Adam made the choice for him in the end, walking forward and burying his face in Ronan’s chest.

Ronan instantly responded, wrapping one arm around Adam’s shaking body, and using the other to maneuver the door closed. He led them over to the couch, lowering them on to the cushions as one tangled, sobbing mess.

Monmouth was, blessedly, empty for once. Ronan hadn’t even been expecting Adam to come by, he had been working on his Senior Studio project for close to twelve hours and got back to Monmouth earlier that morning. Ronan woke up forty-five minutes ago and was watching _The Great British Bake Off_ and eating Life cereal, dry from the box.

(Had Adam walked into this scene not bawling his eyes out, he would have teased Ronan mercilessly. But alas, Adam _was_ bawling his eyes out while Paul Hollywood jabbed his grubby fingers in some working mother’s focaccia bread)

Ronan found a way to shut off the TV without loosening his hold on Adam. They stayed like that for a long while until Adam lifted his head up at last, eyes shot with red, cheeks tearstained. “Hi,” Ronan said, soft around the edges.

“I didn’t get the job,” Adam rasped at last.

Ronan carded one hand through Adam’s hair. “Which one?”

“APEX Technologies,” Adam sniffed, then wiped his nose with the sleeve of his t-shirt. “It was my top choice.”

Ronan wracked his brain, trying to remember anything about the company that would be stupid enough to reject Adam Parrish, but Ronan was coming up blank. “I don’t remember you talking about them.”

Adam sighed and moved away so that he was actually sitting on the couch and not on Ronan’s lap. “That’s because I didn’t tell you about them.”

“Oh,” Ronan paused. “Why?”

Adam didn’t look up to meet Ronan’s gaze, picking at a loose thread in his jeans. “Because it’s in DC.”

Ronan blanched. “Why would you apply for a job in DC?”

With a deep breath, Adam glanced up. “I thought it would be nice to live closer to the Barns.”

“What?”

“I wanted to live closer to the Barns.”

Ronan couldn’t think about the way Adam’s response changed, not right now. Ronan couldn’t think about _anything_ right now. 

“Why would you want to live closer to the Barns?” While Ronan meant for it come out as a genuine question, Ronan knew that the inflection was all wrong by the shuttering of Adam’s expression. “I just mea—”

Adam stood and started pacing. The sight even stressed out Ronan. “No, obviously you don’t want to move to DC with me. We’ve been dating, what? Five months? And you didn’t even realize we were dating for the first three of them. But I love the Barns. And I’d like to actually live there, but there aren’t any engineering firms in Henrietta and your mom still lives at the Barns, so maybe that isn’t a good idea right now. But a few years from now, I’d like to move there.” He paused directly in front of Ronan, expression unreadable and unfamiliar. “I don’t care if that makes me sound fucking insane, but I love you, Ronan. I love you, and I thought that maybe you felt the same way.”

Ronan, stunned and speechless, said nothing as Adam stood in front of him, chest heaving. This, apparently, was not the right reaction, because Adam turned on one heel and stalked out of Monmouth, the door slamming behind him.

The clatter of the door in its frame jerked Ronan out of his trance, and he immediately jumped up and followed Adam out of Monmouth, barefoot and without a jacket. “Adam!” Ronan called, chasing after his boyfriend.

Adam stopped, turning around reluctantly. He had fresh tears staining his cheeks, and Ronan wanted to reach out and wipe them away, to replace them with kisses. “What, Ronan?”

Despite Adam’s bitter tone, Ronan smiled. This was the boy he loved. The one who was all snark and sharp words covering up the soft and beautiful boy underneath. “I love you, too.”

Adam’s breath caught. Ronan could see the hint of a smile playing at the corner of Adam’s mouth. “What was that?”

“You heard me, Parrish.”

“I don’t know if you forgot,” Adam smirked and took a small step forward. “But I am deaf in one ear. So if you don’t mind repeating yourself…”

Ronan wanted to be a little shit, but he wanted to make out with his boyfriend more, so he closed the distance between him and Adam, leaning towards his good ear and whispered, “I am so fucking in love with you, Adam Parrish.”

Adam was kissing him as soon as the words were past Ronan’s lips. Ronan could feel himself smiling as Adam licked into his mouth. However, things were getting a little too heated for a Brooklyn sidewalk at 3:24 in the afternoon on a Wednesday. Also, Ronan was barefoot and really wanted to get Adam upstairs and into his bed.

Once they were inside, and Adam was mostly naked in Ronan’s bed, Ronan said, “I’d give anything to live at the Barns with you.” Adam moaned above him, fingers scrabbling at Ronan’s scalp. “There’s nothing I want more than to wake up next to you in the Barns every day.”

“Ronan,” Adam grabbed at Ronan’s face, bringing them eye to eye. “I love you,” those words did something to Ronan’s stomach every time he heard them, “but get on with it.”

Ronan snorted, pressing another kiss to Adam’s lips before _getting on with it_.

*** 

Two weeks later, Ronan and Adam were at Adam’s apartment, Ronan pretending to study, but watching Adam work through a calculus problem set instead. Adam was chewing on the end of his pencil, Ronan’s eyes glued to the movement of Adam’s perfectly straight, white teeth and pink tongue.

Adam’s phone rang, and he jumped, dropping his pencil on the coffee table. He seemed to recognize the number, sucking in a quick breath before bringing the phone up to his ear and saying, “Hello?”

Ronan couldn’t hear the other side of the conversation, so he watched Adam’s expression change, trying to gauge what was happening on the other side of the line.

“Yes.” Pause. “Yes.” A longer pause. Adam bit his bottom lip, not meeting Ronan’s eyes. “Yes, thank you.” An even longer pause. “Tomorrow works for me. After noon, if that’s okay.” Adam nodded, picking up his pencil and jotting something down. “Thank you so much, I’ll see you then.”

Adam pulled the phone away from his ear, hanging up the call. He didn’t look up. “Who was that?” Ronan asked. “OmegaTech?” They were a startup in Williamsburg that designed custom accessibility accommodations for people living in urban areas. It was exactly the kind of work Adam wanted to do.

Adam nodded; eyes still trained down at his lap. “I got the job.” Ronan could hear the smile in his voice, but he wanted to see it. He moved closer, kneeling in front of Adam and using one hand to tilt his chin up. There were tears gathering at the corners of his eyes, but a blinding smile painted across his face. “I got the job,” he said again, and Ronan _had_ to kiss him.

“I knew you would.” Ronan kissed him again. “I’m so fucking proud of you.” He pulled Adam in for a hug, tangling his fingers in the ends of Adam’s hair. “My hot, genius boyfriend who’s gonna be my hot, genius sugar daddy.”

Adam snorted and pushed at Ronan’s shoulder. “Gross.”

“You’re not denying it,” Ronan joked, kissing Adam again.

“It doesn’t pay _that_ well.”

“But it pays well enough that you only need one job, right?”

Adam smiled softly at Ronan, cupping his jaw and tugging him in for another kiss. “Mhm,” he said against Ronan’s mouth. “But I do need to find some ways to save money so I can start paying off my student loans.”

Now, most things concerning Adam Parrish were things that could get Ronan hot and bothered, but student loans weren’t one of them. If he didn’t think that Adam would dump Ronan on the spot for even just suggesting that Ronan pay off Adam’s student loan debt, he would offer to do just that. Instead, he said, “I know one way you could save some money.”

“Is that right?” Adam pulled back from Ronan’s mouth. He was balanced on Ronan’s lap, knees most likely digging into the hard floor.

Ronan sucked in a breath. “I could move in here,” Ronan couldn’t meet Adam’s eyes when he spoke, tracing the collar of Adam’s t-shit.

Adam leaned back further, “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

“I know it’s soon—” Ronan’s gaze was lifted by one of Adam’s fingers pressing under his chin.

“That’s not what I meant.” Adam was smiling, soft and tooth achingly real. “I don’t think we should live _here_, together.” He gestured his head in a way that seemed to reference the entire room. “We should find a one-bedroom apartment, something with just enough room for the two of us.”

_Oh_.

Well that worked, too.

Ronan could feel himself nodding, Adam’s smile spreading across his face. He kissed his boyfriend again, trying to express more than just affection. This kiss was a _thank you_. An _I love you_. A promise.

“Sounds fucking perfect.”

They found their way to Adam’s bed, clothes littering the floor, sheets twisted around them. “When do you start?” Ronan asked, tracing a constellation of freckles along Adam’s shoulder blade.

“Hmm?” Adam asked, turning his head to better see Ronan.

“What’s your first day of work?”

“Oh.” Adam moved to sit up. “I told them I couldn’t start until the 15th.”

“Of June?” That was a little over two weeks after graduation. Two whole weeks that Adam would be free. No homework, no tests, no fucking shifts at the library. It was long enough that they could justify going to the Barns for a few days, maybe even a for an entire week.

“No. Of July.”

That left Ronan speechless. Six weeks. After graduation, Adam was taking _six_ whole weeks off.

Holy shit.

Not only could they go down to the Barns, but they could spend entire days just lazing around the apartment or doing all those stupid tourist attractions that Adam vehemently disapproved of. They could find a new place to live and move into it in six weeks. They could celebrate Adam’s birthday the way he had always deserved.

_Holy shit_.

“I want to go to the Barns for at least two weeks,” Adam said, curling into Ronan’s side. “Maybe spend my birthday down there.”

“Fuck yes.” Ronan pressed a searing kiss to Adam’s lips, a little off-center. “Whatever you want, Parrish.”

“Whatever I want?” Adam smiled mischievously. “Does that start now?”

“_Fuck yes_.”

**Author's Note:**

> Seriously, no one asked for this. At least it's less than 10k words. 
> 
> Comments/Kudos are always greatly appreciated ♥︎
> 
> You can send me prompts (for this 'verse or anything really) [here](https://andtimestoodstill.tumblr.com/ask).


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